Ubin

Poachers and their cruel traps –

Poaching has been in decline in Ubin since x-ray checks was introduced at Changi Point jetty. These poachers would trap birds with fine nets, catch monitor lizards with fish-hooks or catch wild pigs using trap doors.

Nparks rangers have been combing Ubin and have destroyed about 10 such wild pigs traps so far. The poachers have resorted to steel-jaw leghold traps that are both cruel and dangerous, whether for wild pigs, family pets or accidental tourists walking through the jungle.

One victim was this unfortunate dog brought over to the mainland for emergency treatment. Gangrene has already set in and the leg has to be amputated. Its companion is also hobbling with a missing foot. The rescued dog is now recovering at PetVilla, a no-kill shelter run by Animal Lovers League.

Watch out for such traps and alert the authorities.

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Tags: animal lovers league, animal rescue, monitor lizard, Petvilla, poaching

4 Comments

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4 Responses to “Poachers and their cruel traps”

1. Joseph Lai says:

   October 27, 2009 at 10:07 pm

   Steel-jaw Leg-hold should reasonably be classified in the weapon category and outlawed in Singapore. I cannot imagine a hiker getting trapped in one and unable to move and get help and die from infection. The public must be educated about this potential problem when they visit Ubin and also, the poachers must be warned about the deadly consequence of their act and the heavy punishment that awaits them if caught; so no excuse for not knowing. Prominent signs at all entry points to Ubin should be erected – at least in the short term as the problem is being tackled.
2. robert teo says:

   November 4, 2009 at 11:08 pm

   Hi

   I’m Robert Teo, Asst Director/P. Ubin of NParks.

   Could you let us know where you found such traps in Ubin? We’ll wish to catch the culprits & remove the deadly traps.

   Thanks.
3. admin says:

   November 5, 2009 at 3:01 pm

   I found the fixed caged trap and have already informed Nparks about it is. Have not found the leg hold traps after the villagers told me about them.

   Could you let us know where you found such traps in Ubin? We’ll wish to catch the culprits & remove the deadly traps.
4. admin says:

   November 6, 2009 at 2:53 pm

   A reader emailed his response.

   (Edited in parts)

   Powerful metal spring-operated clamp traps were widely used in Ubin During the pre-war years and shortly after the end of the war (WW2).

   In those days, farmers in Ubin and other places in S’pore and of course in all other parts of Malaysia used to traps large wild animals

   They were mostly ‘home-made’ i.e made by some enterprising small town or village blacksmith based on a very universal i.e common and simple principle of a robust metal frame holding 2 powerful spring-operated clams (or jaws) which simultaneously snaps shut in a split-second when any pressure such as an animals leg (and weight) is placed on the metal piece which acted as a release trigger.

   This relatively simple abut effective trap (which is attached by a strong rope or chain and secured to something strong such as the stem of a tree.

   It can be made to different seizes and sensitivities, depending on the tensile potentials of the Springs (usually a pair to each of the twin clamp or jaws) the sensitivities of the triggering plate also can be made to suit the
   sensitivities required.

   Most of these snap-traps or clamp traps need to be tensioned by a ‘A’ -shaped metal piece which can open up the clamps and temporarily locked into ‘safety’ while the trap is being set tensioned and the trigger plate and pin are set into proper operating mode.

   Shortly after the war in the early 50s, Malaya was declared Under Emergency Rule due to the Communist Insurgencies and the Communist fighters were initially using these as part of the weapon systems against the Government soldiers.

   Of course these clamp traps and all other Wild animal traps were classified as dangerous weapons and duly banned throughout out Malaya which S’pore was part-of at that time.

   S’pore was not included in the so-called “black area of communist infestation but the ban was also in effect here but the farmers in S’pore ‘bend the law ‘ and continued using the traps but within their perimeters of their farmlands.

   After the emergencies the ban on dangerous animal traps continued and the government in Malaya and S’pore started to enforce the ban more strictly when ordinary people were badly hurt and injured by the traps.

   Quite a few framers, villagers and rubber tapers were fined and jailed
   in rural Singapore and by the early 70s, “Human-safe” unconcealed and above the ground traps made their appearance in Chua Chu kang, Yeo Chu kang, Nee Soon, Sembawang, Jurong Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and all other large rural places .

   These traps are the large cage-like trap of the sliding-doors type of traps you have seen in Ubin and at a glance, even a child know it’s an animal trap and there is no way a human can be caught in such as trap unless he wanted to.

   But since about 1 and a half year ago ( 18 months or 2 years) these traps were exposed by some ?#$%^& ‘nature-lovers’ and had a period of very bad press and the Nparks and the police went the extra mile to dismantle and destroy the traps not only in Ubin but elsewhere in S’pore.

   Since then, the wild-pig trappers in the rural parts of S’pore such as the Mandai Jungle and the Reservoir catchments areas have switched from the benign above the ground hut-type of sliding door traps to the Spring-Loaded Clamp traps which can amputates the foot or leg of anyone or anything who is unfortunate to step on it.

   A few year ago, a Mr Lim (a ubin villager ) showed me a rusty clamp trap which can still operate effectively if it got a new set of springs. I don’t know if he still have it but it’s has a main-frame of about 30 to 40 cm width and this is the perfect size for snaring just one of the wild pigs legs.

   Anyway try to find out more about this very dangerous trap for the unwary human being that can actually amputate even a leg from a cow or a horse , never mind a dog or human being.

   After Mas Selamat escaped in Feb 2008, the Government spend about S$200.000 to put up permanent signboards every 25 meter (some places every 50 meter ) to warn unauthorised people not to trepass or intrude into forested land all over the island.

   Why ?

   Rumors has it that while looking for the escaped fugitive, a few searchers were injured by ther numerous steel calmp traps set uo by poachers to ‘catch’ wild pigs and other animals such as pangolins

   I was told it is very easy to purchase thse metal clamp traps in Johore/M’sia.
   All you need to do is to dismantle them and put them together with your other tools for your vehicle.

   Cost of one wild pig size clamp-trap ? – M’sia $20/- or less. But if you are going wild-pig trapping you’ll need at least a dozen or so and so you have to think of a way to smuggle them a few pieces at a time.

   The Authorities in S’pore should not have dismantled or disallowed trapping of wild pigs or animal by the cage and sliding door method. Then Ubin dogs won’t be hopping around with a missing leg. So, it looks like there is going to be a increase in 3-legged dog population
   in Ubin sooner than we can guess.

   Hopefully, we’ll not see visitors in Ubin having to have his Injured Leg amputated.

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